Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-30
THE UTE OUTBREAK.
Official Report of Gen. Crook on the Re.
cent Indian Troubles in Colorado.


Official Report Of Gen. Crook ON the Re-
cent Indian Troubles in Colorado.
HOW THE ROW BEGUN-swINpLrNG THE RED MKN.
THEN ATTEMPTING TO ARREST THEM AND FIRING
ON THEM-COLoRow's oFFER-AN ASSURANCE GIVEN
TO HIM DISREGARDED-AN UNEXPECTED ATTACK BY
THE WHITES ON HIS CAMP
The Secretary OF the Interior has received,
through the War Department. a report from Brig
adler General Geo. Crook, commanding department
OF the Platte, on the recent Ute Indian troubles
Garfield County, Colorado.
me report shows that the troubles arose from
attempts made by Colorado of1cials to serve war.
rants on certain Ute Indians for alleged stealing OF
norses ana lor violations Of the State game laws.
The report states that it is the custom OF certain
men living in Garfield County to buy horses OF the
Indians and then regain possession OF the money
by playing Monte or some other gambling
game The horses alleged to have been stolen
th; eisner D0HgnI from the Indians or won in
innocence Of WIN" fhs t sStoaty protesting their
the parties two other horses In lieu OF those which
tney nad been obliged to surrender to the alleged
rightful owners. Warrants were, however, issued
for the arrest of two OF the Indians for horse
steang and for twelve others violations OF the
game laws, oI this last orense, the report says.
Warden Burgett, to whom the warrants were
ISSUED, Win posse OF seventeen men, went to the
camp e,. on me North Fork of White River, and,
without attempting to explain his object OF
mission,
SUDDENLY SEIZED SEVERAL OF THE INDIANS,
VINO Droke away and ran for the cover OF the bush.
of the Indians. Burgett's posse then retired and
united forces with Sheriff Kendall who held war
ior me arrest OF the two Indians for horse
sIeanhg: tearing or an Indian camp on Coal
Creek, Kendall sent party to it. On approach
ing Ine camp me squaws and children who occu-
pieu ~ nuII!e0ly lett leaving their tepeeS and q
large Qua0ClCy OF buck Sktna n
burned few days later Colorow sent an
urgent message to two prominent citizens
asking them to come to Coal Creek. These gen.
tlemen went to ColorOws camp and found the
Indians greatly alarmed by these attacks, and
asked Wnat IL meant and why they were made.
ColoroW did not consent to give up the Indians
against whom the warrants were issued, but said
ne wouia leave the country as soon as possible
ne required nfteen days for this purpose, as he
had to gather In his herds horses and sheep and
lrlve the.. ~ the reservation which was over one
hundred miles distant. He would be obliged to
travel slowly on account OF his herds and his
wounded.
BAD FAITH OF THE WHITES
About August II Kendall returned to Meeker
and reinforced his posse to about fifty men and
again started out disregarding the assurance that
had been given COlOrOw that he would be allowed
the fifteen days in which to reach the reservation
The sheriff expressed the opinion that Colorow
only wanted time In which to gather reinforce
ments. on the 22d a force Of Colorado militia ar
rived at Meeker with orders to assist Sheriff Ken
dali in the execution OF his processes. ON the
same day the sherin requested the commanding
01ncer at Meeker to send hundred men down the
White River to the Blue Mountain for the purpose
OF lntercepting the Indians, who we're en- route to
requested and were joined on the oath by
Kendall and his posse, now numbering about
eighty men. On this date an interview was had
with son of Colorow in which it was agreed
that matters should remain as they were until
the big White Chief" should arrive. BY this
agreement the Indians understood that they
allowed fhoir orah
molested to their reservation. During a heavy
storm OF rain and hail which came on during
about TWENTY-FIVE miles to point, as they be-
leved, on the Uncompagre reservation and went
into camp turning out their ponies to Craze on
the neighbor1ng hills The whites started in pur-
STRUCK THE INDIAN CAMP
as they were preparing breakfast. They had be-
runners were on the watch, and the whites at
tanned position on the BLUFFS without ALARMING
the Indians Kendall's party at once opened tire.
the IRE from the bush, to which they had re-
treated. for about three and a-half hours thus
covering the removal Of their wounded and the
women and children. Later in the day they fell
back, and the whites soon after Withdrew to
Rangley, or 10 miles distant In this affair the
deputy sheriff. Another man who attempted TO
run on small band OF Indian ponies was shot
and killed soon after the fight. Several others
were wounded. The Indians lost one small boy.
Killed; one buck and one squaw were wounded.
TWO HUNDRED AGAINST TWENTY-FIVE.
The whites numbered one hundred and eighty
men; the Indians not more than twenty five tight
ing men. The whites justify their attack on the
ground that the Indians broke faith with them In
leaving their camp. The Indians were finally In
duced by Lieut.. Burnett (yho had arrived on the
scene. accompanied by about one hundred and NIFTY
Superbly armed and mounted warriors from the
Ouray agency, and " no became wildly excited
when they heard Of the threatened Of their
terrltory, ana urged him to go with them to learn
me cause OF the trouble) to go to the agency.
their stock, which had been seized. When the trou-
pies began they had between 300 and 400 horses
and about $500 head of sheep and goats. OF the
horses ~ were taken by the State to mount their
troops. Many more were taken by Kendall and
bis posse. From the outset, continues the report,
With but one slight Interruption the Indians were
pursued necessarily, and
IN RvERY CASE THE WHITES WERE THE AGGREssoRs
and fired hrst Colorow had no desire to fight and
made use OF his weapons in self-defense only for
the protection OF his women and children and his
herds. During the whole time, including the fight
OF August 25th, five Indians died Of wounds, one
DUCK, TWO boys and two small girls. Seven others
were wounded, one, perhaps, fatally. 1t was ex-
tremely fortunate, says the report, that Lieut..
did, as there can be no doubt that his presence
saved the lives Of Kendalls entire party and pre-
vented serious outbreak. The report says that
there Is no question that the warrants could have
been served without difficulty had their service
been properly undertaken. Up to september 15
all Of the stock lost by the Indians-125 horses
nave been returned to them. This number In
GUIDED the 55 taken for the use of the state. The
report concludes by calling attention to the highly
mer1tortouS conduct OF Lieut.. Burnett
ONE YEAR MINUS A DAY IN JA1L--On the 18th
OF March last party OF boys were at the corner OF
2Sth and Gay streets, West Washington, when
THOMAS BOuldin, cOlOred, came along, and saying
he could whip any three niggers on the Hill, drew
knife and made lunges at Sandy Taylor and at
Amos Brown, who got away. Bouldin then ran to
his house on the square below, and getting a load
ed pistol he fired at Brown, who ran to Jerry
Hicks and wife for protection, and thence to DonO-
hue's store, where he got behind the counter
few days ago he returned and made an assault
on his grandmother. He was arrested by OnicerS